If you’re looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, you can make a few changes around your Richmond Hill, Georgia, home. These simple changes to your household and habits can create an eco-friendly atmosphere while helping you save money. You can also feel good about the changes you’re making to lessen your impact on the environment.
Maintain Your HVAC System
The heating and cooling system within your home uses a good chunk of the energy used by the entire household. Therefore, it’s important to make sure this system is well-maintained to avoid wasting excess energy. Most HVAC manufacturers recommend a tuneup on the heating system when the weather turns cool, as well as a cooling system tuneup in the springtime before you switch over to the air conditioning. By keeping up with this recommended maintenance, you can also extend the lifespan of your unit and reduce the need for expensive repairs.
During a tuneup, your HVAC technician will do a full inspection of the system to look for warning signs or damaged components. The technician will also test the heating or cooling functionality to make sure it’s ready for the upcoming climate changes and the extra pressure that will be placed on it to maintain a comfortable atmosphere in your home. During the testing phase, your technician can determine how efficiently your AC or heater is running and offer tips to improve efficiency, which will reduce energy waste.
Check the Insulation
The insulation in your home also plays a big role in how much energy it uses. Proper insulation around the walls, doors, and windows can reduce energy waste by up to 30 percent. You may also want to replace weather-stripping around your doors and windows, including your garage door. This rubber material can keep cold air out during the winter, helping to maintain a more comfortable temperature in your home and garage.
If you have leaky ducts, the heated or cooled air will seep out through the cracks and gaps before it reaches the rooms of your home. This is also wasteful, so insulating the ducts can reduce waste and keep things moving more efficiently. The process of insulation installation is best handled by a professional since it often involves cutting accessing and inspecting HVAC ducts.
Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
The products you use to clean your home may be doing more harm than good. Although the products might make your countertops and bathtubs sparkle, the chemicals could release harmful volatile organic compounds into the air, which can decrease the indoor air quality and cause other problems in your home. If you have members of your household who suffer from asthma or allergies, they will likely feel the harshest effects of these products.
Switch to plant-based cleaning products to reduce pollution and minimize exposure to harmful chemicals. Before you purchase any type of product, make sure to read the label. If it doesn’t include a complete list of what’s in the bottle, look for an option that does detail what is included to avoid bringing potentially harmful products into your house.
Reduce Waste
It’s also important to look for ways to reduce how much energy your household is actively wasting. For example, running the washing machine with only a few items in the load can waste the energy it takes to heat the water and power the appliance. Leaving lights on or keeping devices and appliances plugged in at all times can also waste quite a bit of energy. Online quizzes and calculators can provide insight into how much impact your habits have on the environment.
Assess your habits and find ways to trim your usage. You could even observe an eco-friendly day or hour of the week, during which you don’t use any type of electronic device or appliance. It’s not easy, but it can help you identify areas in which you could cut back.
Get your eco-friendly habits started by scheduling an HVAC maintenance service with our technicians at McDevitt Air at 877-692-9402.
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